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BMW, Toyota warn about Chinese market slowing down

BMW and Toyota are the latest automakers to become concerned about the closing throttle on the once rapidly accelerating vehicle market in China. There might be drastic effects on their ledgers at the end of the year. With the Chinese stock market no longer looking so healthy, the people just aren't buying as many new cars as in the past. Things got really bad in June after the first drop in deliveries in two years. BMW has already reduced Chinese production by 16,000 units so far this year. Despite the slowdown, the company has kept a brave face. "We experience that volatility in all emerging markets," BMW CEO Harald Krueger said in a conference call, according to Automotive News. The problem for Toyota is a bit stranger. Through July, the automaker's Chinese deliveries were actually up 12 percent. However, the gain was offset by falling sales prices. "This is making our business in China quite difficult. The business environment is getting tougher," Toyota Managing Officer Tetsuya Otake said, Automotive News reported. Much of the weakness in China has come in the middle part of the year, and from January through June deliveries were still up 8.4 percent. This means the effects haven't hit the financial results of some automakers too hard quite yet. In the second quarter, General Motors referenced the "challenging conditions" there but still posted a growing net income of $1.1 billion. Despite falling global sales, Toyota managed record income for the quarter, too.

BMW X4 M40i: not really a coupe and almost an M

BMW showed its newest niche of a niche vehicle, the new X4 M40i, at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. Yes, this vehicle originally debuted in October, but since it was conspicuous by its absence in LA, we figured you'd like some live photos here in Detroit. The M40i version of BMW's swoopy X4 improves on the standard xDrive35i, packing a total of 355 horsepower and 343 pound-feet of torque from its turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-six. Buy one and you'll be able to scamper to 60 in just 4.7 seconds. An eight-speed automatic is the sole transmission on offer, and it channels the grunt to a sportier xDrive all-wheel-drive system recalibrated for more rearward bias. Beyond that, there's the typical array of near-M-spec exterior and interior enhancements. Large wheels – standard 19-inchers or optional 20s – fill out flared wheel arches and sit between more aggressive front and rear fascias. In the cabin, M has fitted its usual oversized steering wheel, along with M-badged door sills. Check out the live gallery for shots of the new X4 M40i from the floor of the 2016 Detroit Auto Show. THE NEW BMW X4 M40i - World premiere of the new inline 6 cylinder TwinPower Turbo engine. - Intelligent BMW xDrive: four-wheel drive with rear-wheel-drive characteristics. - A sporty chassis specifically tuned to M Performance specifications. Woodcliff Lake, N.J.- September 30, 2015... Today, with the introduction of the new BMW X4 M40i, the successful BMW X4 has gained a new top model. In the Sports Activity Coupe segment (SAC), the BMW X4 M40i is setting new standards with enhanced driving dynamics and best-in-segment acceleration. The new BMW X4 M40i will be available at dealers starting February 2016. Design. The exterior of the new BMW X4 M40i makes it stand out as a clear member of the BMW M Performance family. Exclusive Ferric Gray metallic accents on the front of the vehicle and side mirrors, as well as the exclusive 20-inch M light-alloy double-spoke wheels with optional Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires and the sport exhaust system with valve control and Black Chrome tailpipes on both sides emphasize the unique character of the new BMW X4 M40i. The M leather wrapped steering wheel, M gear shift lever, sport seats, model-specific door sills and "X4 M40i" digital lettering on the instrument cluster decorate the interior, assuring immediate recognition as a BMW M Performance model. A world premiere – the 6 cylinder inline engine.

BMW Hack: the auto industry's big cyber-security warning sign [w/video]

A cyber-security hole that left more than two million BMWs vulnerable may be the most serious breach the auto industry has faced in its emerging fight against car hackers. Security experts are not only concerned that researchers found weaknesses inside the company's Connected Drive remote-services system. They're worried about how the hackers gained entry. German researchers spoofed a cell-phone station and sent fake messages to a SIM card within a BMW's telematics system. Once inside, they locked and unlocked car doors. Other researchers have demonstrated it's possible to hack into a car and control its critical functions, but what separates this latest exploit from others is that it was conducted remotely. In an industry that's just coming to grips with the security threats posed by connectivity in cars, the possibility of a remote breach has been an ominous prospect. The fact it has now occurred may mean a landmark threshold has been crossed. "It's as close as I've seen to a genuine, remote attack on telematics," said Mike Parris, head of the secure car division at SBD, a UK-based automotive technology consulting company. "At this point, the OEMs are trying to play a game of catch up." Previous researchers in the automotive cyber-security field have launched remote attacks that are similar in nature, though not the same. In 2010, academics at California-San Diego and the University of Washington demonstrated they could remotely control essential functions of a car, but they needed to be within close proximity of the vehicle. In November 2014, researchers at Argus Cyber Security remotely hacked cars with an aftermarket device called a Zubie plugged into their diagnostic ports. But the remote attack was predicated on the Zubie dongle having physically been installed in the car. With the BMW hack, researchers compromised the car without needing physical access or proximity. The German Automobile Association, whose researchers conducted the BMW study, said it infiltrated the system "within minutes" and left undetected, a feat that raises the possibility that a hacker could do the same in a real-world scenario. Messages Were Sent Unencrypted Security analysts described the BMW infiltration as a "man in the middle" attack. Researchers mimicked a cellular base station and captured traffic between the car and the BMW Connected Drive service, which drivers can access and control via an app on their cell phones.